Letters | Women priests, Derby coverage and historic preservation

Women priests

In your April 28 article "Group ordains local woman," the Vatican is quoted as calling its opposition to the ordination of women an "unchangeable doctrine" of the Catholic Church because Jesus "appointed only men as his apostles."

Is the Vatican unaware that, were it not for a woman (Jesus' mother Mary), there would neither have been apostles nor a priesthood? She gave us Jesus to start with. On that basis, why are women not more qualified for the priesthood than men? What is their real reason?

BILL FIELD

Louisville 40205

Women deserve a rightful role in church

Congratulations, Rosemarie Smead, on your ordination to Roman Catholic priesthood! The powerful testimony of your life of lavish love of God and humankind adds visible authentication to your call to lead the believing community in the breaking of the bread. Gender has nothing to do with it.

Over the course of 2000 years of history, canonical development in the rise of patriarchy happened, making gender and manmade rules more important than the heart of the Living Word.

Today, heroic souls who break the rules for the sake of conscience and truth, like Roy Bourgeois and women priests who dare to claim their rightful place in serving the community, simply must pay the price demanded by institutional dictates.

Open access?

In much the way that the Boston Globe permitted unfettered access to their website in the week after the bombings, The Courier-Journal should consider offering unlimited access to its pages during Derby Week.

There is no substitute for a local newspaper for delivering news that is focused in a community; the local paper knows and understands the area, has longstanding resources on the ground, and can offer insight that even the finest national reporters and news organizations cannot provide.

Besides, it's nice to be able (for a change) to immerse yourself in local news that is essentially happy, upbeat and positive, which is what Derby Week coverage basically is.

I realize you do offer a good number of free hits to your website, but you should make an exception for this year: Many potential readers "burned up" their quota reading so many articles about college basketball!

JIM VESPE

Larchmont, N.Y. 10538

No wrecking balls

The "Old Louisville; Exuberant, Elegant, and Alive" book by David Domine is certain to become a big hit with Louisvillians and entertain Derby guests. It is important to showcase our city's great history and renowned preservation efforts.

The Floyds Fork Watershed also is rich in historic architecture but is suffering losses with sprawl.

It is especially sad that 21st Century Parks purchased this 1860s Greek revival at 14305 Old Taylorsville Road in front of Floyds Fork Park only to apply for a permit to destroy it in order to plant wildflowers!

This was the historic Doll Tavern, and then the Ragland family moved in and named it "Richland." Subsequent longtime ownership was by the Boston and Elrod families. The Elrods understood their home and 1.34 acres would become a welcome center because it was a landmark; they never knew it would be destroyed!

There is an historic well; there was a toll booth (part of the early turnpike), slave quarters, and children who became prominent individuals inscribed their signatures there. Keep the wrecking ball away!